Solid Waste & Recycling E-Newsletter |
- Did You Know?
- Solid Waste Advisory Group (SWAG) Meeting
- Spring 2024 Shred-A-Thon
- Celebrate Earth Month!
- Protect the Environment from Household Hazardous Waste
- What's in the Cart?
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Orange County opened a new 24-hour recycling drop-off site. The site is located at the Jones Ferry Park & Ride Lot (603 Berryhill Dr., Chapel Hill, NC 27516).
The site accepts single-stream (comingled) recycling, separate glass recycling, and corrugated cardboard. The site does not accept trash. No plastic bags, film, or wrap. Materials should never be bagged.
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Bring your confidential documents for free and safe destruction and recycling.
Orange County residents, small businesses and local government employees only. (Including Chapel Hill in Durham County).
Saturday May 11, 2024 from 10am - 2pm (or until capacity is met)
Behind the Home Depot at Hampton Pointe
625 Hampton Pointe, Hillsborough, NC 27278
Drive-thru service
Saturday May 18, 2024 from 10am - 2pm (or until capacity is met)
Eubanks Park & Ride Lot
1768 Eubanks Road, Chapel Hill, NC 27516
Drive-thru service
You must handle your own paper. Must be in clear plastic bags, paper bags, reusable bags, (up to 13 gal) or boxes (no larger than banker box). No black trash bags. Limit 4. One trip per household or organization. Confidential paper only. No newspaper, receipts, junk mail, magazines or catalogs. No plastic or metal binders, plastic folders, plastic notebook covers, large metal clips, notebook rings, credit cards, or electronic media.
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Happy Earth Month, Orange County! Check out some ideas on how to celebrate and protect our planet during Earth Month and moving forward:
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- Choose lower waste alternatives. Pick produce free of bags and plastic containers. Buy in bulk to reduce packaging. Opt for products in paper, metal, or glass instead of plastic.
- Buy secondhand/used products instead of new products or items made of recycled content.
- Shop consciously by limiting the purchase of unnecessary and unneeded items.
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Landfilled food waste emits methane, a greenhouse gas 25 times more powerful than carbon dioxide. Reduce your household trash by roughly 25% and avoid methane production by composting your food waste. Bringing household food waste to one of Orange County’s free food waste drop-off sites or start composting at home.
- Swap synthetic fertilizers and herbicides for high quality compost. Compost improves soil texture, increases nutrient content, retains moisture, and grows healthier plants. Purchase Class-A compost at the Orange County Landfill (delivery available up to 20 miles for an additional fee).
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- Avoid single-use plastic and paper bags by bringing your own reusable bags to the store.
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Repair or repurpose your belongings before throwing them away! Repair items like ripped clothing or broken phone screens to extend their life span. Repurpose old shirts into cleaning rags. Use glass jars as reusable food containers.
- Use reusables. Try reusable water bottles, coffee mugs, food containers, silverware, napkins, straws, and more. Reducing consumption of single-use items helps conserve limited resources and landfill space.
- Donate workable items in good condition to local thrift stores or Orange County’s Salvage Sheds, available at the Waste & Recycling Centers (except Bradshaw Quarry Rd).
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Participate in Local Earth Month Events |
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Protect the Environment from Household Hazardous Waste |
Household hazardous waste (HHW) is produced when household hazardous materials are no longer wanted or needed or have been used. According to the NC Department of Environmental Quality, U.S. households generate about 30 lbs. of HHW a year. Examples of HHW products include paint, thinners, aerosol cans, household cleaners, vehicle care products, and personal care products like nail polish and hair spray.
When disposed of incorrectly, HHW poses a threat to the environment and human health because the materials can be flammable, reactive, explosive, and toxic. Keeping hazardous materials out of landfills and water systems by disposing of them safely reduces potential pollution and protects groundwater. Eubanks Road and Walnut Grove Church Road Waste and Recycling Centers accept HHW from Orange County residents. The centers do not accept business and commercial facility waste. Visit the Household Hazardous Waste Drop-Off webpage to learn more about drop-off guidelines and accepted materials.
In addition, consider reducing the amount of hazardous waste you generate by using non-hazardous products. See common alternatives below:
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A monthly review of the most common and obscure findings in recycling carts.
As part of the Recycling Stars Program, Solid Waste staff evaluate curbside recycling carts to educate residents on proper recycling. The program’s goal is to improve the overall quality and quantity of recyclables collected from households around the County. Residents that recycle properly are awarded a star sticker. Residents also receive feedback on unaccepted items found in their recycling cart via a letter or ‘Oops’ tag attached to their cart. For more information on the Recycling Stars Program, please visit our website.
Some contaminants that inspectors have found recently:
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Plastic plant pots and trays are not accepted in curbside recycling. Large rigid pots can be disposed of in rigid plastics containers at Waste & Recycling Centers. Thin, flimsy pots and trays should be reused or thrown away.
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Soil, fertilizer, and mulch bags are not recyclable. Soft, stretchy bags that are clean and dry can be disposed of via plastic bags and film drop-off. Otherwise reuse or throw away bags.
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Garden hoses and nozzles are not recyclable. Working garden hoses and nozzles should be donated to a local thrift store or the Salvage Sheds. Garden hoses and nozzles that do not work should be repaired or thrown away. Nozzles made of metal can be recycled via metal drop-off at Waste & Recycling Centers.
- Ceramic or metal plant pots are not accepted in curbside recycling. Ceramic plant pots can be donated to local thrift stores (they are not accepted at the Salvage Sheds). Metal plant pots should be donated or recycled via metal drop-off at Waste & Recycling Centers.
- Window boxes made of plastic, wood, metal, composite, or other materials are not accepted in curbside recycling. Donate window boxes in working condition. Repair broken boxes if possible or dispose of them in one of the following streams based on the material:
- Plastic: rigid plastics drop-off
- Metal: metal drop-off
- Wood (untreated and not painted): clean wood drop-off
- Treated or painted wood: bulky item drop-off
- Composite or other material: bulky item drop-off
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Become a Better Recycler! |
Download our free app called Orange County NC Recycles in the Apple or Google Play Store where you can:
• Use the A-Z guide to find out the right way to dispose of your materials
• View the recycling collection calendar and receive reminders
• Learn about the Waste & Recycling Centers
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Follow Us on Social Media |
At Orange County NC Solid Waste on Facebook, Instagram, and X.
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Can't Get Enough Trash Talk? |
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Listen to OC Solid Waste Representatives the second Tuesday of each month from 8:15 am to 8:45 am on the ‘3-D News’ on local radio WHUP 104.7 FM, over the air and streaming online. Visit this link to listen online. If you missed the show, you can listen online since shows are archived for a month after airing.
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1207 Eubanks Rd | Chapel Hill, NC 27516 US
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